The Washington Capitals, seventh in the Metropolitan Division, will try to turn around their woeful 2-6-1 stretch in Quebec. The Capitals are taking on the Montreal Canadiens in a game that’s airing on Hockey Night in Canada.
Alex Ovechkin enters the night on an incredible six-game goal-scoring streak while the Capitals will see the return of Sonny Milano. They’ll also have a special superfan in attendance.
Tonight’s game is airing locally on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is shortly after 7 pm.
Lines
Alex Alexeyev, Ethan Bear, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel are the Capitals’ scratches.
Lineys#CapsHabs | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/m53kr8wkrB
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 17, 2024
La formation de ce soir
Tonight's lineup#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/gvBqAS0GW7
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 18, 2024
Tunnel weirdness
Milanese is back on the menu, babes!#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/IHDxCmZt69
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 17, 2024
OMG mini Youppis!
des mini-Youppi!s 🥹
mini-Youppi!s in the building#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/WNPhno2AcI
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 17, 2024
1st Period
Darcy Kuemper will oppose Jake Allen in net. Protas-McMichael-Mantha and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
🚨 1-0 Capitals. Anthony Mantha scores against his former team, finding an Aliaksei Protas rebound at his feet and firing past Jake Allen. Time of goal 3:40.
According to the Caps:
Mantha’s 18 points vs. the Canadiens are the second most he has registered against a single franchise (7g-12a–19p in 26 GP vs. TBL).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 18, 2024
🚨 1-1 tie. Arber Xhekaj blasts a point shot past Kuemper after getting a back pass from Joshua Roy. Time of goal 5:04.
Capitals to their first power play after Joel Armia takes a tripping minor at 9:05 of the period.
🚨 2-1 Capitals. TJ Oshie scores from the bumper spot after taking a brilliant set up feed from Dylan Strome on the power play. Oshie’s tenth goal of the season comes exactly at the 10:00 mark. The goal is also Oshie’s 300th career goal.
Ovechkin registered the secondary assist on the Oshie goal giving him points in eight straight.
Aliaksei Protas to the box at the 13:00 mark for interference.
Martin Fehervary is out the rest of the game due to a lower-body injury.
Martin Fehervary leaves game early against Canadiens with lower-body injury
The Capitals outshot the Canadiens 16 to 11 while Montreal led in five-on-five shot attempts 20 to 19.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Dylan Strome denied by Jake Allen on a breakaway.
Mike Sgarbossa stopped by Jake Allen on a semi-breakaway.
Jake Allen stops Aliaksei Protas on a three-on-one break.
🚨 2-2 tie. Alex Newhook’s pass is blocked. He picks it back up and fires a shot past Kuemper as he’s sliding toward the other side of the net. Time of goal 16:15.
The Capitals are outshooting Montreal 26 to 18 and in five-on-five shot attempts, 44 to 38.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 3-2 Capitals. Back in the lineup for the first time in two months, Sonny Milano redirects the puck past Jake Allen in front of the net after a backhand chip toward the net by Max Pacioretty operates as a centering pass. Time of goal 3:27. It’s Milano’s fifth goal of the season and his first since December 9, 2023 against the Rangers.
John Carlson to the box for slashing, saving a goal in front of the net at 8:40.
🚨 3-3 tie. Nick Suzuki scores from the left circle on the power play. Kuemper was super deep in net, giving him far side. That’s Suzuki’s 20th of the year. Time of goal 9:45.
Next shift, Alex Ovechkin throws a huge shot on goal off a faceoff but Allen makes the save.
🚨 4-3 Capitals. On the doorstep, Aliaksei Protas scores off a Nic Dowd rebound, breaking a 29-game goalless streak. Time of goal 11:57. Mantha and Protas now have multi-point games on the evening (1g, 1a).
Jake Allen pulled with a little over 2 minutes remaining.
Tom Wilson to the box for high-stick with 1:27 remaining. The Canadiens will now have a 6 on 4 advantage with Jake Allen pulled.
Montreal timeout.
John Carlson stopped a shot from Juraj Slafkovský which was going into a yawning net as Kuemper was late to short side of the net.
Alex Ovechkin’s goals streak ends at six games.
Capitals outshoot Canadiens 34 to 31 and out-attempt them 67 to 53 at five-on-five.
Read the RMNB recap.
There will be no season-series sweep for you this year, Montreal: Capitals beat Canadiens 4-3
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